“I am very grateful to the first lady for the opportunity to help launch her policy initiative,” Hedlund said. “It was a rare opportunity to contribute at such a high level. It was a difficult decision to leave. However I have decided to return to my roots in the foreign policy world.”

Melania Trump’s staff, which is smaller than some other former first ladies‘ offices, is tight-knit and has a reputation for avoiding leaks. Multiple West Wing aides and others close to President Donald Trump’s administration said they either hadn’t heard about Hedlund’s departure or were unsure of the exact reason for it.

“She is no longer with our office and we wish her our best,” the first lady’s spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, told POLITICO in a statement.